These Dark Stages // a.i.

Eight

The next two weeks of rehearsals go smoothly. Despite their youthful, energetic personalities, the boys are still able to buckle down and get to work, and for that, I'm thankful. I've met my fair share of people who make it impossible to get anything done, but that's not the case with this band.

While they've been rehearsing, I've been working on booking venues. I can't completely confirm the venues or the dates, simply because I'll have to get them officially approved by upper management. Though it's been a challenge to find ones that we can sell out, it's not too difficult of a task. It's just time-consuming.

I usually work at a table in the rehearsal building, just so I can be around if something happens and I'm needed, and it's where I'm sitting right now as I try to find more venues around Europe on my laptop. I have to double up days with a fan meet and greets and signings, as well as interviews, so when I'm done the calendar should be fully booked. This tour is going to be busy, that's for damn sure.

It's an hour after lunchtime when I decide to get up and see how rehearsal is going. I make my way to the stage area and find Marie in the audience area, watching as the band does another playthrough of Vapor. I move to stand next to her and the first thing I notice is how passionately Ashton plays the drums—it's like he's in a whole separate world.

"How's it going?" I ask Marie after a moment.

"It's... it's going," Marie tells me, biting her bottom lip as she continues to watch them.

"They're getting tired," Carter, Marie's boyfriend says from where he's standing a few feet away. While Marie specializes in choreography, Carter is an excellent vocal coach. "Poor kids—they're getting burnt out."

I look back at the stage, and now that Carter mentions it, I can see it too. Luke, Michael, and Calum are all just standing in front of their microphones, going through the motions, hardly any excitement in their faces as they're singing, and Ashton's drumming, while still passionate, is slowing down.

It's clear to me what has to be done.

"Alright. I'm cutting the day short," I announce to Carter and Marie. They look at me with surprise. "Give them the rest of the day off after they finish this song, we'll come back tomorrow."

"Are you sure?" Marie frowns, sharing a glance with Carter.

"Of course," I say, watching the boys as they transition into the bridge of the song. "If it sucks for them then what's the point? They'll be refreshed tomorrow."

I'm about to walk away, but then I turn to face Marie and Carter.

"You guys go home, too," I tell them. "Take the day off."

"And what about you, Vi?" Marie raises an eyebrow, and I can't help but laugh at the question.

"Me? As if," I say before walking away, back to the table that's currently doubling as my makeshift workspace.

And it's true, I'm not going to take the rest of the day off, just because I have so much to do.

But I may take my makeshift workspace to Starbucks.

-

I don't notice Ashton approaching me until he takes a seat in the chair next to me.

"Shit, hey," I say, a bit startled by his sudden appearance. He's all sweaty from spending half the day drumming, the curls on his head damp and a few pieces stuck to his forehead.

"Hey," Ashton echoes, his famous toothy grin spread on his lips. "Apparently rehearsal is being cut short today."

"I know," I tap the eraser of my pencil on the desk. "I'm the one who cut it short. You guys looked like you needed a break."

"What? No way, I could've gone on for hours," Ashton claims, draping his arm across the back of his chair, but I know he's not being truthful. I can see the exhaustion in the way he carries himself—he's just the teensiest bit slouched over. "You must have been looking at Luke—he burns out easily."

I only hum at his words, turning my head to look back at my laptop screen.

"Isn't Danny taking you guys home in a few minutes?" I ask him, but it's more of a statement because I know for a fact Danny's leaving in five minutes to take the boys back home.

"Not me," I see Ashton shrug out of the corner of my eye, and I look at him confusedly. "I think I'll stay here and hang out with you."

"Ashton, I'm working," I gesture to my laptop in order to get the point across.

"Oh, are you scheduling venues?" Ashton leans over to get a good look at my screen. "Can I help? Don't worry, I actually know what I'm doing—I helped do our scheduling last tour."

"Did you now?" I say, but despite my words and the fact that I raise my eyebrows, I'm somehow not surprised. He nods proudly, and I can't find it in me to tell him no—even though I'd really prefer to work alone. "I mean, alright. But why? Wouldn't you rather spend the rest of your day off..."

I trail off because I'm not completely sure what Ashton Irwin does in his free time.

"What, spend it in a house with those hooligans?" Ashton playfully rolls his eyes, his smile still present on his face. "No thanks."

"Okay then," I shrug, turning back to my laptop. "I've got half the European leg covered. I have all the cities we're aiming to hit, we just need to find venues. I'll schedule interviews and signings later."

Ashton slides my tablet which has the calendar on it closer to his person so that he can look at it. Meanwhile, I'm trying to find a proper venue for the France dates.

"Uh, Violet?" Ashton says after a few minutes of silence. I tear my eyes away from my screen to look at him. His face is twisted in confusion as he's staring at the tablet. "You put us down for the O2 in London?"

"Oh, yeah. I can already imagine the push back I'll get from upper management about that one, but I'll be able to convince them—I've convinced them to do way riskier things."

"You think we can sell out that big of a venue?" Ashton looks up at me, surprise in his big hazel eyes.

"Of course," I tell him, keeping my voice soft as he continues to look at me. "You guys have the numbers. It'll sell out."

Ashton's smile returns as the realization sinks in.

"Thanks for taking that chance on us," Ashton says quietly.

"I don't take chances," I say after a moment. "I don't do anything unless I'm certain things will work out."

And things will work out.

We just have to be in the right mindset. 

I'm out of rewritten chapters so updates may be a bit slower oops—

Thanks for reading :)